Insight into The Alaska Club’s successful Yoga in the Park series.
With mental health awareness on the rise, many clubs are looking for programs and offerings that bolster positive mental well-being and mindset for members.
Yoga fits the bill, which combines exercise with mindfulness and breath work — a practice that has proven to have mental health benefits.
According to Harvard Health, “With its emphasis on breathing practices and meditation — both of which help calm and center the mind — it’s hardly surprising that yoga also brings mental benefits, such as reduced anxiety and depression.”
The Alaska Club, with 14 locations in the state, has offered Yoga in the Park — a free community series — for the last 12 years. According to Janet Warner, the executive director of fitness services for the brand, the program is drawing an average of 400 participants per week.
“It has grown into a big community experience, and we are super proud of it,” said Warner.
Here, Warner shares additional insight into the offering.
CS: What do you hope participants gain from the Yoga in the Park offering?
JW: We want participants to have access to all the benefits that yoga, being outside and community bring. In addition, of course, to a feel-good experience brought by The Alaska Club.
CS: Why did you decide to make the program free?
JW: To establish a community event open to all. It’s so cool to see people walking towards the park with their yoga mats, meeting up with their friends and moving together in yoga poses. We also get to showcase our amazing instructors and our welcoming staff. We see many of our members in Yoga in the Park and we also see many who are not members but so appreciative of Yoga in the Park.
CS: What is a learning lesson from the series?
JW: We initially started with a noon-time yoga class and although people enjoyed it, we did not get the participation we expected. Once we changed to Wednesday at 6 p.m., our participation grew each week. Thus far this year we have averaged 400 people per week. The energy from this group experience is inspirational.
